i know the speaker, as well as i, do not want to see us go to the fiscal cliff, but feel very strongly we've got to get serious here. we don't want to increase tax rates. we're not going to increase tax rates. >> warner: a white house spokesman shot back that republicans ought not to be surprised that mr. obama is sticking to his guns. and congressional democrats, like house minority leader nancy pelosi, welcomed the president's plan. >> elections have consequences. the president campaigned-- he made it very clear, he made it very clear that he was supporting a tax cut for the middle class, that he wanted the expiration of the tax cuts for the high end. and the american people know that debate, they voted for him. >> warner: still, despite all the tough talk, reporter todd zwillich of wnyc and public radio international says there's more movement behind the scenes than meets the eye. >> there does tend to be a pattern to how big negotiations like this go. the fact that they haven't reached an agreement yet doesn't mean they won't before christmas, doesn't mean they won't before new yea